"The Bell Captain" ~ A Hospitable Business Leadership Portal ~

Obnoxious Act

"Every obnoxious act is a cry for help.”

"Todo ato desagradável é um grito de socorro".

Why people give up so fast!

One reason why people give up so fast is because they tend to look at how far they still have to go, instead of how far they have gotten.

Real Friends

Real friends are those who, when you feel you've made a fool of yourself, don't feel you've done a permanent job.

Eight ways for restauranteurs to handle online marketing!

By Scott Gerber

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country's most promising young entrepreneurs. The YEC promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to youth unemployment and underemployment and provides its members with access to tools, mentorship and resources that support each stage of a business's development and growth.
When a restaurant owner recently asked about investing in her online marketing strategy and if there were any lesser-known applications out there that she should know about, YEC members had the following to say.

1. PromoterBee
I met the owner of a marketing application called PromoterBee at a conference. I told him I would give it a try, and I have been using it ever since. It basically aggregates all of your company's online profiles, and it e-mails you when new reviews, @mentions, etc. come in. For a restaurant, it's awesome to be able to stay on top of Yelp, Google and CitySearch reviews in real-time. -Logan Lenz, founder and president of Endagon

2. Reputation Thrusters
Customer reviews are important for every industry, but they're even more important in the restaurant business. Customers want to know that other people have enjoyed the food quality, service and the ambiance of a restaurant before dining at the establishment. Use Reputation Thrusters to manage and improve your online reputation. -Anthony Saladino, co-founder and CEO of Kitchen Cabinet Kings

3. Conduit Mobile
I recently discovered Conduit Mobile. It's an amazingly easy way to create apps for blogs, restaurants, businesses or almost anything. It takes no time to create a beautiful app and, before you know it, publish it in the app store. -Ben Lang, founder and CEO of MySchoolHelp

4. Buffer
Buffer lets you easily maintain a constantly-updated queue of content to regularly post to Facebook and Twitter with no manual effort. It's a great way to keep your Facebook and Twitter streams active without spending all day on them.-Tim Jahn, co-founder of Entrepreneurs Unpluggd

5. Engage your customers with text alerts
One glaring hole I see in most restaurants' marketing efforts is the ability to quickly notify past customers of specials, special events, etc. E-mail is too slow for a quick "lunchtime special," and apps require the customer to be on the app to see it. But SMS/text messages are a real-time communication platform you can use to reach customers. Call Loop is great for this because of its automation. -Trevor Mauch, co-founder and marketing director of Automize

6. Twitterfeed
If you are looking to automatically tweet the articles that get posted to your blog, use Twitterfeed. It takes any RSS feed and publishes the articles to Twitter, allowing you to post relevant content to your followers automatically. You can even insert hashtags into the tweets. With Twitterfeed you'll never forget to tweet your last blog post, especially on a company-run blog. -Matt Wilson, co-founder of Under30CEO.com

7. Hootsuite
A great social media management tool that you can use is Hootsuite. Although it's not free, it gives you tons of options with which to control your social media. You can schedule Facebook and Twitter posts, establish RSS feeds, create analytics reports and more. There are tons of other options you can use, as well, by connecting a Wordpress blog, LinkedIn profile or other social media account. -Lucas Sommer, founder of Audimated

8. Scout Mob
Promotions like Scout Mob are very effective for marketing a local business online. They are more effective than the Groupon model because they tell people that a product is 50 percent off if they purchase it within a certain time frame rather than people having to purchase a Groupon before they purchase the actual product. -Lauren Perkins, CEO of Perks Consulting.

How motivated are you in 2012?

By John Hogan

This is a non-traditional commissioned year-end column, in that is not a prediction of trends nor is it a list of New Year's resolutions. I felt honored to have been asked by the editor of one of the world's best known online publications to consider and share my thoughts on what we want to see more in the new year. I expanded it to include what we want and need in 2012, which is reflected in the title that asks if hospitality is still the industry that motivates entrepreneurs.

What we want and need in 2012 in Hospitality

One: Increased Cooperation between Franchisors and Franchisees.
The franchise model has been proven to be a successful vehicle for hundreds of thousands of businesses in many industries globally. There are obvious areas of potential differences of interpretation in the franchise agreement, yet the concept of cooperation makes so much more sense than has been the mis- directed sense taken by some organizations. The consolidation of Brands by a relatively small number of international companies has led to intensified friction in certain markets and types of hotels. There should be enough market difference for franchisors to provide the distinction which would reduce many of the frustrations for all parties. Consumers also are confused because there are so many products offered by the same franchisors that appear to have little distinction. We include this in our consulting and training, as well as having written on this in the past (Getting the Most out of your hotel franchise investment)

Two: Amplified Support of Hospitality Associations
A generation ago, many hospitality associations served as primarily professional centers of information and socializing. Today they have become centers of education, political lobbying, networking, consumer marketing and provide other needed services for Hotels, Restaurants, clubs, spas and other hospitality businesses.

Three: Better Attentiveness to the Need for Political savvy.
This does not mean just following the crowd or lobbying only for special interests, but rather a sincere collaborative effort with government. Regardless of political affiliation or party, government needs to work with the business community leaders to effectively make progress. Business is used to be working towards specific measurable results, while too many politicians seem to work on getting re-elected. Genuine collaboration may mean serving on community councils or commissions, which also means the opportunity to have open and ongoing input in the process. For those of us who have served on some of those commissions, we have been able to influence through logic and sincere dialogue.

Four: Appropriate renovations aimed at consumer satisfaction and a targeted ROI.
Brands need to grow, and consistency and product differentiation is important for the identity of those brands. At the same time, if brands insist on certain renovations that are clearly designed to strengthen the brand identity as contrasted with long-term owner profitability and success, the conflicts identified in #1 are created. Consumers are the ones who eventually paying for these renovations and improvements; if they are misdirected, those hotels and brands can go the way of many airline companies and hospitality brands that have been involved in on unsuccessful bankruptcies the last 25 years.

Five: Practical Strategic Planning
Peter Drucker introduced the term management by objectives more than 50 years ago. With his approach to strategic planning, options were identified, considered, discussed and executed. Using the SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), hoteliers can actively deal with OTAs, revenue management, asset protection, staff development, competitive marketplaces, and proper market positioning.   Dealing with these and other issues cannot happen by themselves and will require senior management commitment and support. In my 35+ year career as a hotelier, educator and consultant, I have seen repeated successes of those who take the time to follow this process. We write on it often, share approaches on our site and know it works.

Six: Augmented Training
One cannot "train hospitality", just as one cannot specifically "teach attitude." One can influence personalized service. This personalized training is not globally the same cannot only offered in the generic programs promoted by some brands and management groups. It must be one that is felt, developed and shared by key owners and managers. We all know that favorite restaurant or inn where we are always made to feel welcome.   How do you suppose that happens?

Seven: Focus on fundamentals
Earle Nightingale, in his award winning Lead the Field ,identified four fundamentals that are universal for success in any business. These included
research and development
sales
operations and
finance
2012 needs to include successful understanding and focus of these fundamentals as markets and products continue to evolve. But how many hotels restaurants and other hospitality businesses really pay attention to all of these four fundamentals? How many academic programs or universities address these?

Eight: Ethical behavior and professionalism
We use case studies and public examples of both exceptional and embarrassing situations in our training, online programs, consulting and our writing. It is refreshing to see the positive feedback of program participants who "want to do the right thing", yet did not know sometimes how to examine the options.   This also includes common courtesy and manners, which are becoming more important as the global markets continue to expand and we interact with people from all around the world in person or online.

Nine: A Genuine Commitment to Learning and Professional Development at ALL Levels of the Hospitality Organization.
This includes opportunities for all associates in the organization who are interested in improving themselves. This could be language, marketing, certain professional skills, and career development. If opportunities are only offered to a select few, that organization is likely to be limited. Look at the example of the staff at any Apple Computer/Technology store and compare that to any competitor you can think of. Which staff has had the opportunity to learn and develop? What is happening at your hotel?

Ten: Boost the value proposition
The peripheral surroundings in the marketplace continue to have a major impact on the hotel and restaurant industries. Being unique (not a cookie cutter) and offering a differentiated product is clearly a major keys for success in these competitive times.
The government issued statistics may try to hint at improvements in performance, productivity and job creation, but the millions of unemployed or underemployed people throughout many developed countries remain staggering. We must make our business offerings appropriate and relevant with the changing needs and lifestyles of our guests. We must offer consistently the proper experience at our hotels and restaurants at the prices that our guests can afford to pay and the price they choose to pay.
The online travel agencies are blamed for aggressive discounting, but it is the decision of the individual hotel and restaurant to decide their prices and at what value. I often write on the danger of our industry becoming a commodity that has no distinction and holds little interest from consumers or others. Competition will continue to increase in marketing, products and brands. Some of our clients are business travelers, while others are leisure or social travelers. Even in good times, many companies will be careful to use hospitality businesses that are fair and pricing inconsistent and experience.

Eleven: Provide Clearer Communications
We often are frustrated by news bytes of partial information and by politicians' comments that appear so often to be self-serving. As business leaders and hoteliers, restauranteurs, and hosts, it is up to us to be clear in our communication to our associates, our suppliers, bankers, our clients and all we deal with. This means using the tactics in the first 10 items mentioned above.

Twelve: Restore pride in the identity of hospitality in hotel management - by action from senior executives and hotel general managers.
I discovered that I wanted to be in the hotel and hospitality business when I was 15. While working for a family business in a small independent hotel, I learned the value, fun, satisfaction and profitability of the industry. Over the last 35 plus years, I have experienced several major economic downturns and recoveries, as well as developed some lifelong friendships, competencies and wonderful experiences.
Numbers 10 and 11 discuss boosting posting value and improving communications in the hospitality field. I feel that the hospitality industry would benefit immensely with two actions steps:
If every senior executive at major hotel brands and management companies would join with your local community college and university as a guest speaker, panelist, trade show participant at job fairs or for one class in 2012, the industry image would receive a huge boost.
And if the general managers of 50% of the hotels in a given community would spend just one hour at a local high school in 2012 with the same message of pride, identity and success potential, the industry would appeal to many creative minds that today tend to ignore it as one of the temporary jobs until I find the real success.

Thirteen: Complete the bakers dozen
I often write columns that include 13 or a bonus item in the top of being discussed. In my career, I have learned a series of philosophies that I have called -Hotel Common Sense. These are 15 beliefs that I have found to have a major influence in my career success.

75th Anniversary “New Year's Eve Party” at the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Boulevard!

A fantastic night including a four course dinner with live entertainment, party favors, dancing, champagne and viewing areas to watch the ball drop. For reservations or inquiries please call: 954.467.0045. See you this weekend and Happy New Year!

Tough on yourself

"When you are tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you”

"Quando você é difíceis em si mesmo, vida vai ser infinitamente mais fácil em você"

Opportunity

If opportunity doesn’t knock you should build a door

Talents you possess

Use what talents you possess:
The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those who sang the best.

FLL - Boil Water Restriction has been lifted!

Fort Lauderdale Water Department Update: Precautionary Boil Water Restriction has been lifted

Rotary: An Investment Of Goodwill

ROTARY: AN INVESTMENT IN GOODWILL

Dear Rotarian and Friends:

An estimated 878 million people around the world — nearly half of them employed — live on less than US$1.25 a day. Rotarians bring economic and community development to impoverished areas through projects that provide vocational training, support local entrepreneurs and community leaders, and assist with long-term recovery in places struck by natural disaster.

Hannah Warren, a former Ambassadorial Scholar, says her Rotary experience inspired her to become a social entrepreneur. She founded Jhoole, a nonprofit business that offers impoverished women in India access to training, materials, and international markets for hand-woven goods, enabling them to earn a living wage.

With help from a Rotary Foundation grant, Jhoole acquired looms, cloth, and funds to cover training costs for weaving and sewing. “There is no way I could be doing this [work] were it not for my Ambassadorial Scholarship,” Warren says. “Like Jhoole’s programs, Rotary scholarships are not a one-time donation; they are an investment in goodwill.”

Watch a video about Hannah Warren's work
and Rotary's focus on community and economic development:

http://vimeo.com/33736218

As you finalize your charitable giving for this year, I hope you will consider The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Gifts like yours ensure that Rotarians can continue promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and nurturing local economies. Every contribution, from every Rotarian, truly makes a difference.

If you have already contributed to the Annual Fund this year, please accept my thanks. Lorna and I wish you all the best this holiday season, and a new year filled with world understanding, goodwill, and peace!

www.rotary.org/contribute

Warmest regards,

Bill Boyd
Trustee Chair, The Rotary Foundation

P.S. — The Rotary Foundation is your foundation. Your gift is an investment in world understanding, goodwill, and peace.

The Rotary Foundation Contact Center:
Available for all general Foundation-related inquiries
866-9ROTARY (866-976-8279) | contact.center@rotary.org

Rotarians Help

Dear Rotarians and friends:

An estimated 878 million people around the world — nearly half of them employed — live on less than US$1.25 a day. Rotarians bring economic and community development to impoverished areas through projects that provide vocational training, support local entrepreneurs and community leaders, and assist with long-term recovery in places struck by natural disaster.

Hannah Warren, a former Ambassadorial Scholar, says her Rotary experience inspired her to become a social entrepreneur. She founded Jhoole, a nonprofit business that offers impoverished women in India access to training, materials, and international markets for hand-woven goods, enabling them to earn a living wage.

With help from a Rotary Foundation grant, Jhoole acquired looms, cloth, and funds to cover training costs for weaving and sewing. “There is no way I could be doing this [work] were it not for my Ambassadorial Scholarship,” Warren says. “Like Jhoole’s programs, Rotary scholarships are not a one-time donation; they are an investment in goodwill.”

Watch a video about Hannah Warren's work
and Rotary's focus on community and economic development:

As you finalize your charitable giving for this year, I hope you will consider The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Gifts like yours ensure that Rotarians can continue promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and nurturing local economies. Every contribution, from every Rotarian, truly makes a difference.

If you have already contributed to the Annual Fund this year, please accept my thanks. Lorna and I wish you all the best this holiday season, and a new year filled with world understanding, goodwill, and peace!

Character, commitment & discipline

"It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.”

"Foi personagem que tem-nos fora da cama, compromisso que moveu-nos em ação e disciplina que permitiu-na seguir através de".

My Idea of Chirstmas!

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?"

"Minha idéia de Natal, à moda antiga ou moderna, é muito simple: amar os outros. Venha para pensar sobre isso, por que temos de esperar para o Natal fazer isso?"

Merry Christmas Around the World

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian: Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian: Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Luxembourgish: Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philippines: Maligayang Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese: Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

Foundation stones

“The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.”

"Os alicerces para um sucesso equilibrado são honestidade, caráter, integridade, fé, amor e fidelidade".

See the Reaching

"If you want to reach a goal, you must 'see the reaching' in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal.”

"Se você quiser atingir uma meta, você deve ' ver a chegar' em sua própria mente antes que você realmente chega ao seu objetivo."

Adversity

"Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.”

"Às vezes adversidade é o que você precisa para enfrentar para se tornar um sucesso".

Riverside Hotel partners with Dan Marino Foundation

The Riverside Hotel is so proud in being partner with the Dan Marino Foundation. Several of their young adults are getting a work experience in our hotel. We are proud having them as part of our team.

Http://danmarinofoundation.org

Failure is a detour

"Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street.”

"O fracasso é um desvio, não uma rua beco sem saída".

Comment on today's leadership tip

The Power of a good listener!

I have been the President of The Hamister Group, Inc. - a hotel and healthcare management company - for the last 15 years of a 27-year career with the same organization. One of the most important lessons that I have learned over the years is the importance of good listening skills. When I speak of "listening skills," I mean more than just listening well to what is being said. What I really mean is:
Starting with the easy stuff: don't over talk. This is hard for most people because they are so anxious to tell their thoughts, recommendations or directions. Not only is this impolite, but this frequently frustrates the other person who cannot finish a thought/sentence, which is, of course, important to that person. Try something like counting to 3 before you speak when you think the other person is done.
Next, digest the information being conveyed. Think it through, apply common sense, and be sure that you really understand what is being communicated. Listen not just to the words, but observe body language, facial expressions and the tone of the voice. What are the other observations telling you? Are you cross-referencing the words and the visual/audible observations? What does the total picture say to you?
After the person has completed whatever it is he or she want to say and you have fully digested the words and the observations, pause before you speak. This will give the other person an opportunity to add, alter, delete or modify something he or she has said out of emotion, and the pause will allow them to potentially regroup and clarify something that might need further explanation. It also provides an opportunity for the other person to complete his or her thoughts as he or she may have only temporarily stopped because he or she anticipated that you were going to "interrupt anyway." This will allow the other person to expend all their energy on vocalization, be fully prepared to listen to your response, and likely be a touch more receptive.
As part of your listening process, write down questions and points of discussion that you will ask. I know that I've tried to remember such points during conversations but as I sat and attempted to recall them, my mind was more focused on what I was eventually going to say and not as much on what was being said in that moment. That lack of attention will eventually show through and "disappoint" the other person: so do yourself the favor of taking notes during the listening process. In addition, write down the responses to your questions - it will show that you really care.
File the documentation strategically within your filing system so that you maintain your accountability. The worst thing that you can do is lose track of the conversation and never address the issue(s) again. You can easily forget to follow up because of the numerous things you have to do as a manager, but I guarantee that the other person will not forget. He or she may not say anything about this and just be disappointed in you and the company.
You must follow up in some way. Take action, make a change, ask some questions, or just send an e-mail. As long as you take a positive step and let the other person know that what was said had an impact on you and warranted your attention, it will mean so much. You can't ever measure the full impact.
Finally, at the end of the initial interaction, take a bold step and commit to the other person what next steps should be anticipated, and when. The responsibility will rest with you to ensure that those next steps are completed in a timely manner. That takes courage, organization, drive, and a terrific work ethic. If you have those skills, use them. If not, you need to grow as a manager and develop those skill sets.
In closing, the last thing I would like to address as part of the definition of good listening skills is confidentiality. I can't even begin to count the number of times I've seen (heard) a manager talking to others about a conversation with another co-worker or a subordinate. Although that might even seem like the right thing to do for "management" reasons, believe me, it is not. Over time you will be labeled and even distrusted. When you are not trusted by co-workers, your management career will stall because it takes a long time to rebuild that confidence and trust.
I've said for the last 20+ years that fine-tuned listening skills are the most valuable asset that a manager has - I still feel that way today, and I am continuously working to define and improve my own listening skills as well.
Jack A. Turesky
President & COO - The Hamister Group, Inc.
Williamsville, NY 14221
Office Phone: 716-839-4000
jat@hamistergroup.com - to communicate with Mr. Turesky The Hamister Group currently owns and manages 10 hotels, 3 in-patient facilities and 1 home health agency in New York, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

75th Annual Christmas Buffet at the Riverside Hotel

Join another Signature Event at the Riverside Hotel and Indigo Restaurant

THE 75th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS DAY BUFFET - Only $35 per person ++; Live Entertainment
Starts at 12pm until 8pm
Reservations required: 954-467-0045 or indigolasolas@riversidehotel.com